Perhaps it’s a sign of progress that much of the focus at Sony Corp. these days is not about its long-suffering electronics business, but what the company plans to do with its entertainment and financial arms.

Reuters

Sony Corp’s President and Chief Executive Officer Kazuo Hirai shows off the new Sony Xperia Z1 smartphone during the IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin earlier this month.

In an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal, Sony Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai talked about the impact of hedge-fund investor Daniel Loeb’s proposal to spin-off its entertainment arm and the knock-on effect of additional interest in what the company will do with its financial services subsidiary.

Mr. Hirai also addressed how Sony is moving to the second phase of his plan to turn around its electronics business. The Sony chief said he spent much of his first 18 months as CEO playing what he calls “defense” — cutting costs and streamlining the organization. However, the electronics division is now switching to offense with a wave of new products that “push the envelope,” according to Mr. Hirai.

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